chimera
Any fantastic creature combining parts from different animalsAny fantastic creature combining parts from different animals.
» Sometimes I found myself doubting whether it was not all some dream or some strange chimera of my unbalanced brain.
Meaning
6 sensesAny fantastic creature combining parts from different animals.
химераxymera
(figuratively)A foolish, incongruous, or vain thought or product of the imagination.
Schimäre
химе́раximéra
химераxymera
a grotesque product of the imagination
(figuratively)Anything composed of very disparate parts.
He built his car one piece at a time, producing a chimera with the head of a Volkswagen, the body of a Geely, and the tail of an aftermarket Porsche.
A grotesque like a gargoyle, but without a spout for rainwater.
химе́раximéra
An organism with genetically distinct cells originating from two or more zygotes.
The DNA test returned a false negative because the killer was a chimera, having absorbed her twin in utero.
Chimäre
химе́раximéra
химераxymera
(figuratively)Synonym of bogeyman: any terrifying thing, especially as an unreal, imagined threat.
Examples
3 sentencesSometimes I found myself doubting whether it was not all some dream or some strange chimera of my unbalanced brain.
Death is a chimera: because while I exist, death does not exist; and when there is death, I no longer exist.
Genetic testing revealed that the man was a chimera, having 2 different sets of DNA in different parts of his body.
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 2
Origin
Variant of Middle English chimere, chymere, & chymera under renewed Latin influence from tVariant of Middle English chimere, chymere, & chymera under renewed Latin influence from the 16th century, from French chimère, from Latin Chimaera, from Ancient Greek Χίμαιρα (Khímaira, “fire-breathing mythological monster, fire-spewing Lycian or Cilician mountain”), from χίμαιρα (khímaira, “she-goat”, from χίμαρος (khímaros, “male goat”) + -α (-a)), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰey-. In reference to the fish, directly from Latin Chimaera, used by Linnaeus. In reference to organisms with distinct areas of different genetic makeups, a calque of German Chimäre, used by Hans Winkler in 1907.
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